The Russian athletics federation (VFLA) announced yesterday that marathoner Inga Abitova had received a two-year ban for doping and that her results from October 10, 2009 had been annulled. Her suspension began on 11 October, 2012.

Abitova, 30, was convicted of doping on the basis of an “abnormal hemoglobin profile in her biological passport,” according to a statement posted on the federation’s website. Her conviction strips her of four valuable podium finishes, including a second place finish at the 2010 Virgin London Marathon and a silver medal at the 2010 European Championships where she competed in the 10,000m. She also loses her victory at the 2009 Yokohama Women’s Marathon.

Under the biological passport program, changes in athlete blood values are monitored over a period of years, and doping convictions are based on variations which can only be explained by either the use of drugs or blood manipulation, such as receiving an infusion of an athlete’s own blood which has been “spun” to increase the concentration of oxygen-carrying red cells.

Abitova’s results from the following competitions have been annulled; new podium finishers have been noted: